Summer Issue 2019 The Harry A. Miller Club Harry A. Miller Club News

Indy 500 Champion to Attend 25th Annual Millers at Milwaukee July 12-13, 2019

he Harry Miller Club is proud to announce that Johnny Rutherford, three time champion, 1980 TDriver of the Year, USAC sprint car champion, and member of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame will help Miller Club members and fans celebrate the 25th annual Miller event at the this coming July! He will attend our event on Friday and Saturday morning, and share in the excitement of the this incredible weekend gathering of historic vintage Indy race cars! Johnny Rutherford, a true race car enthusiast, knows and respects the history of Harry Miller. He stated, “The most beautiful race car of all time is that Miller #14 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum! I’m really looking forward to seeing the Millers run at Milwaukee, and get behind the wheel of a few!” Rutherford will also be sharing stories of his long racing career at our banquet on Friday evening! All banquet tickets should be purchased in advance to guarantee your space. The custom Lone Star JR helmet that Johnny brings to Milwaukee will be donated and auctioned at the Club’s Silent Auction, with proceeds going to the Miller Club. You will not Johnny Rutherford qualified the Racing Associates roadster for the 1964 want to miss this amazing opportunity to see Johnny on the Indianapolis 500. track in a Miller racecar, and hear him speak at the banquet! 1 Summer Issue 2019

Johnny Rutherford – Lone Star J.R. ohnny Rutherford is one of the most popular drivers in the IndyCar paddock today, although it’s been twenty- Jfive years since he raced competitively. The well-liked Texan is usually seen with fans signing autographs and posing for photos. This year Rutherford can be seen as an observer and valued resource if needed for the talented superstar, Fernando Alonso who is spearheading the Team McLaren assault this year at Indianapolis. It makes sense, especially since Rutherford is a well-regarded mentor on the NTT IndyCar circuit and drove for the heralded Team McLaren when they last entered in the Indianapolis 500 in 1979. The three-time Indianapolis 500 is considered a late bloomer. He won his first championship car race in 1965 for the prestigious Leader Card team at Atlanta. Later that year he won the USAC Sprint Car championship against the You can see the origins of the Lone Star helmet in this qualifying photo of likes of Don Branson, , Jud Larson and Mario Rutherford at Indianapolis in 1968. – IMS photo Andretti. However, in the second sprint car race the following if I ever found a team that wanted to win as badly as I did, year, Rutherford broke both arms when he flipped out of we would be a winner.” In 1973 he found that team – Team the track at Eldora. He persevered through some difficult McLaren. In 1973, Rutherford and Team McLaren almost times. But Rutherford never lost hope, "I always maintained broke the 200-mph barrier at Indianapolis when he won the pole, (198.413, 4-lap average ), although one-lap came within a whisker of 200-mph, at 199.071-mph. The following year he completed the full distance for the first time and won the race. He followed up with wins in 1976 and 1980. He would win 27 IndyCar races including in 1980, winning the National Championship too, in 1980. With the help of fellow Texan Jim McElreath, Rutherford came up the hard way, cutting his racing teeth on the Texas bullrings like Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Texarkana and Waco. Later the duo moved up to the Midwest running the IMCA circuit. McElreath was first, Rutherford followed. Both got rides, ran well, got better rides and soon they were winning. Eventually USAC came calling. Indianapolis was the goal for any talented young USAC driver. Midgets and sprint cars were the catalyst. McElreath made the “500” a year prior to J.R in 1962. Rutherford’s opportunity came the following year. Rutherford was part of a historical era in championship car racing, the transition era from front-engine “roadsters” to rear-engine cars. In 1963, he qualified Ed Kostenuk’s Watson roadster, on the third day of qualifying. The following year, Rutherford teamed-up with Herb Porter’s Racing Associates team driving the No. 86 Watson roadster. Unfortunately, Rutherford was caught up in the tragic second-lap accident. Rutherford raced in an era many consider its “glory years.” He ran the dusty tracks at the Indiana Fairgrounds, DuQuoin, Springfield, Sacramento and even Langhorne. He ran the paved tracks at Milwaukee Mile, Trenton and the inaugural race at Phoenix in 1964, with minimal driver protection, no power steering, and no wings. Although many remember him for his success he attained in such historic cars as the McLaren M16-, McLaren M24- and the Chaparral 2K. It’s the notable Kurtis Johnny Rutherford winning the 1976 Indy 500 Race – in Victory Lane 4000s, gorgeous Watson roadsters and ‘upright’ dirt cars built 2 Harry A. Miller Club News by such masters as Joe Silnes and Wally Meskowski that the was my sponsor in 1976 when I won my second Indianapolis Harry Miller Club salutes Lone Star J.R. 500. They were big in the CB radio business. That was the He is Lone Star J.R., the helmet, his Texas heritage, and his craze at the time. During a rainy day at the (Indianapolis love of country. It’s one of the best nicknames in sports. It just Motor) Speedway, one of the PR reps said, you need a CB makes sense. But when did that moniker start? “handle.” Everybody had a CB “handle” or radio name when “It was during my recuperation from my broken arms, they spoke, they never used their real name. We bounced Goodyear took me down to Nassau for the race. around names and I don’t remember who came up with it, My wife, Betty and I had a great time. They took care of but ‘Lone Star J.R.’ stuck. I had a motorhome and Betty and everything. We were at the races and the cars sat on pit lane in I would be going down the road, I’d have the CB on, and I’d front of the open pit boxes. On top of the boxes was concrete get on and the fella would ask whom were they talking to? I’d and there were suites on top, with the cars right beneath us.” say Lone Star J.R. they’d come back, ‘Rutherford is that you?’ “There was one car right below us, in a Lola sports car, a It’s with anticipation we look forward to this year’s 25th driver from Atlanta named, Buck Fulp. He had some success annual Harry Miller Vintage Indy Car Meet with special racing in sports cars. His helmet was painted red and it had guest, Johnny Rutherford – Lone Star J.R. the Confederate stars and bars across the top of it. At the time - by Steve Zautke I had an aluminum-silver helmet that was burnished in swirls along with a day-glow visor. Being from Texas, I thought to myself, I could do that to my helmet, only with a Texas flag. Even though I wasn’t born in Texas, I’d always been proud of my Texas heritage.” “I thought it was a simple design, the red, white and blue, with the star facing the front. So the front of the helmet is blue, with the star, the red panel and the white panel on the Above- Pat Flaherty (Peterson RE-Chevy #71) leads Rutherford (Dayton back. It was on the top crown of the helmet. The helmet sort Steel Wheel Spl. #27), Bobby Grim (Morcroft #26) and Ronnie Duman (Ga- of became my trademark, along with ‘Lone Star J.R.’ that was briel Shocker #81) during the 1963 100 at Milwaukee. Photo by from my sponsor in the McLaren days. Hy-Gain CB radios Armin Krueger courtesy of Greenfield Gallery

3 Summer Issue 2019

Millers at Milwaukee 1998 Event Millers at Milwaukee 2001 Event

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EPRE HarryMiller QtrPg Offy PerformanceAd .indd 1 3/29/19 11:51 AM Harry A. Miller Club News DePalma Miller Club Membership Joining the 2019 Entry Roster Fees Now Due obby Green will be coming from Bobby and team look forward to bringing for the 25th Anniversary the DePalma Miller and a re-creation of For 2019! BExhibit and bringing two cars. This is the Babe Stapp ’33 Roadster brought along Bobby’s second year attending, and his “just for fun!” Loyal Members – those who have first year bringing a Miller. Bobby’s Miller By Jim Swigart maintained their membership was previously owned and driven by Ralph prior to 2011: $25 DePalma. In 1931 DePalma drove from California with a rotary valve head on the Miller 122 straight eight to compete in New and all other members who the Indianapolis 500. He arrived less than have joined since 2011: $40 a week before the race but was unable to qualify. Subsequent races found DePalma New members please print competing with a conventional Miller head 122 in the car. membership form from Club The DePalma Miller underwent restora- DePalma prior to drive to Indianapolis for 1931 race. website and forward with check tion in the 1980’s and hasn’t been viewed for $40. (harrymillerclub.com). in public since the 1993 Monterey Historic Races held at Laguna Seca. While Bobby Please mail your check to: is going through his recently acquired two-seater, he is hot tanking the fuel tank Harry Miller Club and radiator and revisiting the fuel lines. P.O. Box 740762 Bobby says that he finds himself being Boynton Beach, FL 33474 more careful and going a little slower with work on the Miller than on other cars. Bobby Green’s recreation of Babe Stapp 1933 Roadster.

Harry A. Miller Club Board of Directors

Chairman of the Board: Directors: Dana Mecum Brian Brunkhorst Office, 262- 275-5050 Dan Davis Lenore Heinzelmann President: Bill Hoff Tedd Zamjahn Tom Malloy Office, 414-403-7697 Bob McConnell Bill Warner This newsletter welcomes contributions, photos, and suggestions. We hope to feature stories about members’ car restorations or other news pertinent to vintage auto collectors. All items submitted for the newsletter shall be considered an expressed warranty by the author that said material is in no way an infringement upon the rights of others. Editor : Lenore Heinzelmann The Harry Miller Club News is published three times per year and printed for the enthusiast. The next deadline is Aug. 30, 2019. Submissions to be e-mailed to Editor: Lenore Heinzelmann.

5 Summer Issue 2019 From the Racing Archives

Consider New Anniversary Sponsorship Level –

To highlight our achievement of 25 years of vintage cars running on the Milwaukee Mile, the Harry Miller Club is offering a special promotional opportunity for our event sponsors. In addition to the four levels of sponsorship that have been offered in the past, we are adding a new $2500 Anniversary Sponsorship that will provide additional promotional coverage. If you choose to upgrade to this $2500 level, you will receive a one-half page ad in each of our newsletters, an ad in our track program, recognition in our banquet program, a link on our website, PLUS promotional signage on our pace car on July 12, as well as recognition on special anniversary banners placed around the racetrack! To receive all of the benefits of the 25th Anniversary level, we must be notified by June 20, 2019. Executive Sponsorship - $5,000 **Full page ad in Miller event program and 3 newsletters. Also link on Miller Club Website. Anniversary Sponsorship - $2,500 **Full page ad in Miller event program and 3 newsletters. Also link on Miller Club Website. Associate Sponsorship - $2,000 **One-half page ad in Miller event program and 3 newsletters. Also link on Miller Club Website. Corporate Sponsorship - $1,000 **One-quarter page ad in Miller event program and 3 newsletters. Also link on Miller Club Website. Friends of the Miller Club - $100 & up **Name listed in Miller event program and one newsletter. 6 Harry A. Miller Club News

The Bowes Seal Fast racing team of #33 and Don Free- land #27 prepare for battle before the 1959 USAC Championship Car race at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Fairground race track. Freeland would finish third, while Boyd came home in fifth place. - Steve Zautke collection

The great Harry A. Miller with "Doc" Caddy at the Los Angeles 1930 Miller Schofield powered by a four-cylinder 183 that was driven by Leslie Allen (9th place, shop, 1930. Bruce Craig collection Allen Miller Products Spl. #25). Bruce Craig photo courtesy of Kem Robertson

COMING SOON! Michael Argetsinger’s new biography of In a fine narrative of Marshman’s meteoric rise to the top of American championship racing, author Argetsinger captures the amazing career of one of America’s greatest talents behind the wheel, whose life was sadly cut short by a tragic testing accident at Phoenix in November of 1964. AN AMERICAN RACER: BOBBY MARSHMAN AND THE INDIANAPOLIS 500

Racemaker Press 39 Church Street RACEMAKER.com Boston, MA 02116 (617) 723-6533

7 Summer Issue 2019

The Harry A. Miller Club P.O. Box 740762 • Boynton Beach • FL • 33474 Tel (262) 388-5221 • harrymillerclub.com E-mail: [email protected]

The Time is NOW - Submit Your Entry For the Millers at Milwaukee Event Today! You don’t want to miss out on this milestone celebration – We are pleased to announce that Johnny Rutherford will also 25 years on the Milwaukee Mile with special guest, three-time be our featured speaker at the Friday Banquet. All banquet tick- Indianapolis 500 Champion Johnny Rutherford! He will be ets must be purchased in advance, so make your plans early!! driving Millers on the Mile and visiting with fans throughout the Banquet tickets are $50 per person. Only members, or special weekend. guests accompanied by a member, may purchase tickets for the Entries are limited to 60 cars, so get your application from our banquet. club website, or request an application via email. Entry fees are Our Thursday social event, held 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the hotel, $250 per car with a $100 charge for tent coverage. Cars can be also has limited seating. Each entrant receives two guest tick- parked at the track on Thursday July 11 from noon to 4 p.m. The ets at no charge, with the opportunity for additional tickets to group track photo will be taken on Friday morning at 9 a.m. with be purchased at $25 each. Please request additional tickets in the drivers meeting to be held at 9:30 a.m. advance. To make your hotel reservations, please use the following num- Send all entries to our NEW address: ber Mon. – Fri. between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.: 414-389-8563. State Harry Miller Club to the clerk that you are with the Harry Miller Club and Millers P.O. Box 740762 at Milwaukee Mile group. Your reduced rate is $119 per night. Boynton Beach, FL 33474 8